‘Nashville’ Ends With Major Life Changes, Full Cast Reunion

Nashvillecame to a sweet close when the series finale aired on Thursday (July 26), and confirmed fans' suspicion that Connie Britton would return in a final guest appearance as Rayna Jaymes.

Big life changes occur for many of the characters throughout the episode, starting with Deacon (Charles Esten), who was able to fulfill a lifelong dream when Bucky (David Alford) presented him with the opportunity to headline his own tour.

Juliette (Hayden Panettiere) decides to start a new life by selling her mansion and moving to a farmhouse in the countryside, coming to terms with her and Avery's (Jonathan Jackson) separation.

Alannah (Rainee Blake) is faced with a frightening scenario when Brad Maitland (Jeff Nordling) corners her in his hotel room and gets physically aggressive, to which she rejects his intolerable advances. She later teams up with Zach Welles (Cameron Scoggins) and Deacon to ensure that she, and many other women, are never in that situation again. To help get her out of her contract, Zach tells Brad he'll buy Shiny New Records from him for $15 million, or else Alannah will share her story—as well as the recording she took of the incident in the hotel—with the world. When a group of several other women Brad has attacked make their way into his office—including Jessie (Kaitlin Doubleday), who also demands full custody of her son Jake—he agrees to sell.

Flashing forward a few years later, fans learn that it's a happily-ever-after ending for many of the characters. Daphne (Maisy Stella) signs a record deal with Highway 65, while Maddie (Lennon Stella) moves out of the mansion and into her own home. Avery shows up at Juliette's farmhouse to tell her he wants to spend the rest of his life with her, an offer she gratefully accepts.

On the music front, Will (Chris Carmack), Avery and Gunnar (Sam Palladio) reunite as the Last Highways, and Alannah scores a major gig opening for the Lumineers as a solo act. Scarlett (Clare Bowen) has also gotten engaged, with her real-life husband Brandon Young making an appearance.

And the moment fans have been waiting for finally came when, backstage at his show at the Ryman Auditorium, Deacon has a flashback of him and Rayna on their wedding night where she promises him that no matter how many times they've failed, they always choose each other, and vows to love him forever.

Nashville comes to a tear-inducing close as the entire cast and crew, including a surprise appearance by Britton, unite on the Ryman stage for a performance of the show's beloved "A Life That's Good."

"I want to thank the city of Nashville, the beautiful people of Nashville, this incredible cast and crew, the family that we've made," series creator Callie Khouri says surrounded by the Nashville family. "And may we all have a life that's good."

Nashville premiered in 2012 and aired for four seasons on ABC before it was cancelled in 2016. Due to fans' strong reaction to the cancellation, CMT revived the show, where it has aired the past two seasons.